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J. B. STUART;

Fih WheeL Patented' Apr 3o. 186,7

Witnesses:

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAYl CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JAMES STUART, of Bunker Hill, in the county of Macoupin, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved Circle-Plateor Fifth-Wheel for Vehicles; andil do hereby declare that the following is a-full, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the artto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my invention.

Figure 2, a side view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts,

This invention relates to a new and improved circle-plate or fifth-wheel for vehicles, and has for its object the turning or cramping of the front axle in such a manner that the vehicle, to which the invention is applied, may be turned within a smallerfcompass than usual.

A represents a. frame constructed in skeleton form and of quadrant shape, as shown clearly in fig. 1. The front axle a is bolted to the front part of the frame A. B represents a plate on vwhich the bolster b vis bolted. This plate B is provided with a bar, c, which extends from the rear ot' plate B, and the end of banc, as Well as the angle of frame A, is secured to the reach or perch of an ordinary vehicle by a bolt, @Land if a side-spring vehicle be used said bolt passes through a brace, e, attached to bolster b, as shown in red in both gures. I i i It will be seen fromdzhe above description that the front axle a turns on the bolt d a-s a centre, and as this bolt is at a considerable distance behind the axle d it follows, as a matter of course, that when said axle is turned the front Wheels will be cramped so as to make the vehicle describe a much shorter curve than when the axle, as hitherto, turns on a central king-bolt. By the arrangement of the frame A and plate B, as shown, the bolster and front part of the body of the vehicle have a good bearing, even when the axle a is turned or cramped to the extent of its movement. Y

Having thus describedmy invention, what claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A circle-plate or fifth-wheel for vehicles, composed of the frame A and plate B, connected by abolt', d, and attached respectively to the front axle and bolster, substantially in the` manner as and for the purpose herein set forth.

. JAMES B. STUART.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL BOOTH, W. F. JOHNSON. 

